Machine for shaping uppers over lasts



Dec. 10, 1940- G. MILLER ETAL MACHINE FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS Filed March 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1940- L. G. MILLER EI'AL 2 MACHINE FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS Filed March 2, 1940 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS Application March 2, 1940, Serial No. 322,035

25 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for shaping uppers over lasts, and is herein illustrated as applied to a lasting machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,075,852, granted on April 6, 1937, on an application of B. J orgensen. The present invention has particularly in view certain improvements in machines such as therein disclosed, but it is to be understood that in various aspects it is not limited to machines of that particular type.

Machines of the same general character as disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent are frequently used for lasting with adhesive the toe portions of shoes the uppers of which have been previously pulled over the lasts at the end of the toe and the sides of the forepart by a pullingover machine and which may also have been lasted along their opposite sides from the toe portion heelwardly. Such a machine comprises, in a power-operated organization, wipers for Wiping the margin of the toe end of the upper inwardly over an insole on a last positioned bottom upward, a toe former or band for wiping the toe end of the upper heightwise of the last in response to downward-movement of the last before the wipers thus act on, the upper, and a device for clamping or gripping the margin of theupper around a portion of the toe end of the last and for pulling the, upper heightwise of the last in response to-the downward movement of the last. The present invention has particularlyin view the provision of improved means for thus pulling the upper, and especially the provision of means affording better insurance 5 than heretofore that an adequate pull will be applied to portions of the upper which, in a pulling-over machine of the type commonly used, are located between the toe gripper and the side grippers of the machine and, accordingly, are not subjected in that machine to so hard a pull as the portions of the upper at the extreme end of the toe and at or near the ends of the tip seam. For the purposes in view the construction herein shown comprises upper-pulling means whereby an additional or supplemental grip is applied to the margin of the upper at what may be termed the sides of the toe, so that under any conditions it will be adequately, and usually more securely, gripped in those locations than at the extreme end of the toe, the expression sides of the toe being used herein to comprehend what may under some conditions be more properly regarded as the corners of the toe. Regardless, therefore, of any slipping of the upper in the upper-pulling means at the end of the toe as the pull is applied, insurance is afforded that the portions of the toe end of the upper on which the pulling-over machine has exerted no direct pull will be subjected to an adequate pull in the lasting operation. More particularly, the construction herein shown comprises anend clamp or gripper for gripping the margin of the upper around the end of the toe and to some extent also along the sides of the toe substantially in the manner disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent, and additional gripper jaws arranged to grip the margin of the upper against one of the jaws of the end gripper at the sides only of the toe in the same locations lengthwise of the margin of the upper as portions thereof which are gripped by the end gripper.

To facilitate the proper gripping of the margin of the upper in the manner above described under control of the operator, novel mechanism is further provided for first moving one of the I jaws of the end gripper into upper-gripping position and for then moving the additional side gripper jaws into their upper-gripping positions by movement in the same direction of a jawclosing member common to the several jaws. As herein illustrated, this mechanism includes means for releasing or disconnecting the jaw-closing member from the end gripper jaw when that jaw has been moved into upper-gripping position to permit the closing of the side jaws by further movement of the member. The construction shown is further such that the end gripper jaw is locked positively in upper-gripping position when the jaw-closing member is thus disconnected therefrom.

The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. Us a view in front elevation of a portion of a machine in which the invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line ;III-III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 shows a portion of the structure partly in front elevation and partly in section on the line 1v-Iv of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line VV of Fig. 4 on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. '6 shows certain parts in elevation, as viewed from the right with reference to Fig. 1,

illustrating the pulling of the upper at one side of the toe, some parts being shown in section.

As more fully disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent and in other Letters Patent referred to therein, a machine of the illustrated type is provided with a support 2 for the heel end I of the last having a pin 4 which enters the usual spindle hole in the last, and with an upper-engaging toe rest 6 which supports the toe end of the last and shoe, the heel-end support 2 being depressible with the last and shoe and with a heel band 5 against the resistance of a spring (not shown) and the toe rest being depressible against the resistance of a spring 8 (Fig. 3). Such depression of the last and shoe is effected in the power operation of the machine by a toe presser foot Ill (Fig. 1) arranged to engage the toe end of an insole on the last and by a heel presser foot (not shown) which is swung over and engages the heel end of the insole. The toe presser foot H] is supported by an arm 12, a portion of which is shown in Fig. 1, this arm being swung forwardly by the operator to a position over the shoe before it is moved downwardly by power with the heel presser foot to depress the shoe and having thereon means which need not be particularly described for controlling the margin of the toe end of the insole and of the upper,

in the lasting operation. As the shoe is forced downwardly the upper around the toe end of the last is engaged and wiped heightwise of the last toward the edge of the insole by a toe former or band l4, and after such depression of the shoe the margin of the toe end of the upper is wiped inwardly over the insole into position to adhere to the insole by toe-embracing wipers It.

The machine is further provided with mechanism which is in many respects like that disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent No.

2,075,852 for clamping or gripping the margin of wipers.

the toe end of the upper prior to the starting of the power operation of the machine and for thereafter applying a pull heightwise of the last to this portion of the upper in response to the depression of the last. This mechanism comprises a lower upper-gripping member or jaw l8 and another jaw 20 which is movable downwardly to clamp or grip the margin of the upper against the lower jaw. These jaws, which may be termed end jaws, extend continuously around the extreme end of the toe and for some distance also along what may, as hereinabove explained, be termed the sides of the toe, but they do not extend so far heelwardly as in the construction shown in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, so that in operating on shoes which have already been lasted from the toe portion heelwardly or in which the upper is held in the vicinity of the tip seam by pulling-over tacks the margin of the toe end of the upper may be readily inserted between them. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the lower jaw I8 is provided with a lip 22 and the other jaw 20 is arranged to bend the upper over this lip to increase the effectiveness of the grip on the upper. The lower jaw I8 is secured adjustably by a screw 24 to a bracket 26 which is rotatable about a shaft 28 mounted in bearings on a cover plate 30 secured to a casting which supports the shaft 28 has thereon a sleeve 3| which serves as a bearing for the bracket 23. Threaded in the bracket are two screws 32 the lower ends of which are arranged to engage the cover plate 30 and thus to determine adjustably the height at which the lower jaw I8 is positioned. The construction In the construction herein shown the herein shown further includes a leaf spring 34 one end of which is fastened by the screw 24 to the jaw l8 and the bracket 28 and the other end of which bears on the top of the cover plate 30, so that the spring yieldingly resists any upward swinging movement of the jaw l8.

The jaw 20 is secured to a pair of arms 35 provided with slots through which the shaft 28 and the sleeve 3| extend, one of these slots being shown at 38 in Fig. 2. The slots permit such bodily movements of the arms 36 as to advance the jaw 20 lengthwise of the shoe from a somewhat retracted initial position as well as swinging movements of the arms to carry the jaw downwardly into upper-grippingposition. Mounted for limited swinging movements about a rod 40 which connects the two arms 36 together are blocks 42 provided with pins 44 which are connected by links G6 to arms 48 mounted on the shaft 28. In the construction herein shown these arms are not fast on the shaft, but are operated thereby as hereinafter described. Springs 50 which in the construction herein shown are mounted in sockets in the arms 35 and bear against the blocks 42 tend to swing the blocks in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 3) about the rod ll] and hold them normally in positions determined by engagement with shoulders on the arms. Other springs 52 connected to the pins 44 and to brackets 54 fast onv the cover plate 30 tend to move the arms 36 bodily toward the left (Fig. 3) and also to swing them in the direction to lift the jaw 20, their bodily movements being limited by the sleeve 3| and their swinging movements being limited by their engagement with the cover plate 30. The movement of the jaw 25 into upper-gripping position is effected by turning the shaft 28 in a clockwise direction (Fig. 3). In this operation the arms 48 act through the links 46 first to advance the arms 36 bodily as far as permitted by the sleeve 3| and then to swing them about the sleeve to carry the jaw 20 into gripping position, the final gripping pressure being applied to the upper through the springs 5!] in response to swinging movements of the blocks 42 relatively to the arms 35 about the rod 40. For turning the shaft 28 there is fast on one end thereof a lever 55 connected by a flexible cable 58 to a treadle (not herein shown) in the same manner as in the construction disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent.

For purposes of this invention the machine is provided with means for additionally gripping the margin of the upper in locations substantially at 1e opposite ends of the pair of gripper jaws l8 and 20, thus insuring that the upper will be gripped eifectively enough for the best results in those locations, regardless of the thickness of the portions of the upper located between the jaws at the extreme end of the toe and regardless of any slipping of the upper through the jaws at the end of the toe as the pull is applied to the upper. As the parts are constructed, the additional or supplemental grip is thus applied to portions of the margin of the upper which are located between the toe gripper and the side grippers of a machine such as commonly used for pulling over the upper prior to the lasting of the shoe, and, accordingly, insurance is afforded that in the lasting machine herein disclosed an adequate pull will be applied to the portions of the toe end of the upper which are subjected to less strain than other portions by the pullingover machine. For the purposes in View the jaw 25 is provided substantially at its opposite ends with a pair of additional jaws 60 pivotally 1B and 20, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Thelower jaw 18 has recesses 64 in its opposite end portions to provide clearance for the jaws 66. The jaws 66 are-arranged to be moved into upper-gripping positions by'arm 66 which'are fast on the shaft 28; these arms being vprovidedwith plungers 68 arranged to engage: extended fiat faces formed ,on armslil which are integral with the jaws 60. .Each plunger 68 is yieldable against the resistance of a spring 121(Fig. ,4) which is mounted in a re- ,CEZSS in thearm 66 between a flange 14 on the .plungeranda nipple =16 threaded in the arm.

Nuts l8 threaded on the plunger serve by engagement with the nipple 16 to determine adjustably the normal position of the plunger relatively to the arm. Springs 86' connected at their opposite ends, respectively, to pins 82 on the arms 10 and to the jaw 26 maintain the jaws 66 initially in spaced relation to the jaw 26 to receive the margin of the upper and are yieldable to permit the upper-gripping movements of the jaws 60 when the arms 16 are swung downwardly by the arms 66. v

The construction shown is further such that the turning of the'shaft 28 in response to depression of the treadle connected to the cable 58 serves first to move the jaw 26 into upper-gripping position and thereafter to operate the jaws 66 to grip the upper while the jaw 20 is held stationary. i For this purpose the arms 66, which are fast on the shaft 28, are connected to the arms 48 which act through the links 46 to operate the jaw 20 by mechanism of the character illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. Each arm 48 is positioned between and in substantially contiguous relation to the arm 65 associated therewith and a normally stationary block 84 mounted on the sleeve 31 and abutting against oneside of the arm 36 adjacent thereto, this arm abutting at its opposite side against a bearing member 86 on the cover plate as. Each block 84 is adjustable about the sleeve 3| by screws 8'! which are threaded in the block and bear against the cover plate 30. Mounted 'in an opening which extends through the arm 48 is a ball 83 which, when the parts are in their initial positions as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, engages at one side the fiat face of the block 84 and extends at the other side into a spherical recess 90 formed in one side of the arm 66. Accordingly, the arms 48 are locked to the adjacent arms 65 and are operated by the latter to move the jawzll into upper-gripping position during the first portion of the turning movement of the shaft 28; Formed in each of the blocks 84 is a spherical recess 92' toward which the ball 88 is moved and which the ball enters when the jaw 26 arrives in its upper-gripping position, so that the arm 48 is disconnected from the arm 66 to permit the latter to continue its movement as the turning of the shaft 28 continues. It will thus be seen that the two arms 66 by their further movements act through their plungers 68 on the arms it to move the jaws 69 into upper-gripping positions while the jaw 20 is stationary.- It will further beevident that after the balls 88 have entered the recesses 92 and are engaged on their opposite sides by the flat faces of the arms 66 they cooperate with the blocks 84 to lock the. jaw 20 positively in upper-gripping position irrespective, of the further movements of the arms 66. a

In order that the operator may remove his foot from the treadle before starting the power operation of the machine, mechanism is provided for locking the treadle-operated lever 56 in position to hold the jaws 60 closed on the upper, this. mechanism being substantially like that disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent for controlling the upper-gripping means there shown. For this purpose there is mounted on a pivot stud 94 on one end of the lever 56 a finger or lever 96 having a short upwardly extending arm. engaged by a spring- 56 and tends to swing the lever 96 in a counterclockwise direction, as the parts are viewed in Fig. 1. A downwardly extending arm of the lever 96 is thus held in engagement with a lug I09 which is formed on a plate I02 fast on a rock shaft I04 by movement of which in a clockwise direction the wipers l6 are advanced and closed to wipe the margin of theupper inwardly over the insole. When the lever 56 is swung by the operator to effect the gripping of the upper in the manner above described, the lever 96 is carried upwardly until an angularly shaped lower end thereof passes the lug I60 and is swung by thespring-pressed plunger 98 to a position over the lug. This serves to-lock the lever 56 against The swinging movement of reverse movement. the lever 96 under the influence of the plunger 98 is limited by contact of a lug I66 on the lever 56 with the end of a screw I03 threaded in the lever 96. When the shaft N34 is rocked in a clockwise direction to operate the wipers, after the depression of the last and the pulling of the upper by the upper-gripping means, the lug I90 is carried out from under the lower end of the lever 96, thereby releasing the lever 56. A spring 9 connected to an arm H2 fast on the shaft 28andto a bracket I M on the cover plate 36 then turns the shaft in the direction to release the upper-gripping jaws 66 and permit them to open. As soon as the arms 66 arrive in positions where their recesses-96 are opposite the balls 83, the balls enter these recesses and leave the recesses 92 in the stationary blocks 84, after whichthe port land on the toe rest 6 a last and shoe the upper of which is to be lasted at the toe-end portion. The upper will have been previously pulled over the last in the customary manner, I

and may also have been previously lasted from the toe portion heelwardly, the shoe herein shown having been thus lasted along the ball and shank portions and at the heel end. In presenting the work to the machine the operator inserts the margin of the toeend of the upper between the end gripper jaws l8 and 20 which are conveniently located to receive it, and also between the side jaws 66 and the jaw 26. By depressing the treadle connected to the lever 56 he thereafter turns the shaft 28 to advance the jaw 20, on which the jaws 60 are mounted, lengthwise of by the balls 88 to the arms 66 which are fast on the shaft 28. When the jaw 20 arrives in its upper-gripping position, the balls 88 are-forced by the arms 66 out of the recesses 90 therein and. into the recesses 92 in the blocks B ll, thus releasing or disconnecting the arms 66 from the arms as to permit the arms 66 to continue their movements, the balls then cooperating with the blocks 85 to lock the arms 48 and the end jaw 20 positively against reverse movement. Before further depressing the treadle the operator is then enabled to observe whether the margin of the upper is in proper position between the side jaws iii] and the jaw 20. By further depression of the treadle thereafter the plungers 68 carried by the arms 66, which have approached the arms 10 of the jaws 69 during the movement of the jaw 20, are rendered effective to swing the jaws into upper-gripping positions, the springs 12 yielding more or less after these jaws halve gripped the upper and serving to hold them yieldingly closed on the upper. Substantially at the end of the jaw-closing movement of the shaft 28 the lower end of the lever 96 passes the lug I00 and swings to a position over the lug, thus locking the shaft against reverse movement to maintain the jaws 60 in their closed positions. After thus operating the upper-gripping means, the operator swings the arm [2 forwardly to start the power operation of the machine, whereupon the shoe is forced downwardly by the toe presser foot l9 and the heel presser foot. In response to such downward movement of the shoe the toeend portion of the upper is pulled by the uppergripping means heightwise of the last simultaneously with the wiping thereof heightwise of the last by the band it. In this operation the upper at the end of the toe, which has already been directly pulled by the toe gripper of the pullingover machine, may slip more or less between the jaws I8 and 20, but in view of the manner in which the upper is additionally gripped between the jaws 69 and 20 at the sides of the toe, any slipping of the upper in these locations will not occur until the portions of the upper not directly engaged and pulled by the grippers of the pulling-over machine have been subjected to a pull sufficient to insure the best results in the lasting of the toe. After the depression of the shoe the wipers it are advanced and closed to wipe the margin of the toe end of the upper inwardly over the insole, andearly in this operation of the wipers the lug m0 moves out from under the lever 96, thus releasing the lever 56 and permitting the gripper jaws to be opened and returned to their starting positions by the springs Hi3 and 52. Thereafter the machine completes its operation in the usual manner.

Having described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of vthe United States is: a

1. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upperv on a last inwardly over an insole on the last, of a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of the upper independently of .said wipers and for pulling theupper heightwise of the last, said device having .ly overan insole on the last, of ad'evice for grippingthe margin of the we end of the upper independently of said wipers and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last; said device being formed to grip the upper continuously around the end and along portions at least of the sides of the toe and having means for gripping it more securely at the sides of the toe than at the end of the toe.

3. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper on a last inwardly over an insole on the last, of a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of the upper independently of said wipers and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, said device having means for gripping the upper at the end and the sides of the toe and additional means for gripping it at the sides only'of the toe to hold it more securely in those locations than at the end of the toe.

4. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper on a last inwardly over an insole on the last, of a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of the upper independently of said wipers and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, said device-having means for gripping the upper at the end and the sides of the toe and additional means movable relatively to said first-named means to grip the upper at the sides only of the toe in the same 10- cations lengthwise of its margin as portions thereof gripped by said first-named means.

5. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper on a last inwardly over an insole on the last, of a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of the upper independently of said wipers and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last, said device comprising a pairof upper-gripping jaws arranged to grip the upper between them around the end and along portions at least of the sides of the toe and additional jaws arranged to grip the upper against one of said pair of jaws at the sides only of the toe.

6. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising jaws for gripping the margin of the upper at the end and the sides of the toe and additional jaws movable relatively to said first-named jaws to grip the upper at the sides only of the toe in the same locations lengthwise of its margin as portions thereof gripped by said first-named jaws.

'7. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising a pair of upper-gripping jaws arranged to grip the margin of the upper between them around the endand along portions at least of the sides of the toe and additional jaws arranged to grip the upper against one of said pair of jaws'at the sides only of the toe in the same locations lengthwise of its margin as portions thereof gripped between said pair of jaws.

8. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising a pair of upper-gripping jaws arranged to grip the margin of the upper between them around the end and along portions atleast of the sides of the toe and additional jaws pivotally mounted on one of said pair of jaws for gripping the upper against that jaw at the sides only of the toe.

9. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising a pair of upper-gripping jaws one of which is movable toward the other to grip the margin of the upper around the end and along portions at least of the sides of the toe and comprising also additional jaws pivotally mounted on said movable jaw for gripping the upper against that jaw at the sides on1y of the toe. H

10. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising a pair of upper-gripping jaws curved to extend around the toe and arranged to grip the margin of the upper between them and comprising also additional jaws mounted on one of said pair of jaws and movable relatively to the jaw on whichthey are mounted to grip the upper against the opposite end portions only of that jaw.

11. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper,

said device comprising a pair of upper-gripping jaws curved to extend around the toe and arranged to grip the margin of the upper between them and comprising also additional jaws mounted on one of said pair of jaws and movable relatively to the jaw on which they are mounted to grip the upper against the opposite end portions of that jaw in the same locations lengthwise of its margin as portions thereof gripped between said pair of jaws.

12. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising a pair of upper-gripping jaws one of which is movable toward the other to grip the margin of the upper and comprising also additional jaws mounted on said movable jaw for additionally gripping the upper against that jaw,

13. In a machine for shapinguppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe-end portion of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising an end jaw and side jaws movable to grip the upper, a jawclosing member movable in one direction to cause the several jaws to grip the upper and reversely movable thereafter to cause them to open, and mechanism for moving first the end jaw and then the side jaws into upper gripping positions by movement of said member in one direction prior to any reverse movement of the, member.

14. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe-end portion of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising an end jaw and side jaws movable to grip the upper, a jaw-closing member movable in one direction to cause the several jaws to grip the upper and reversely movable thereafter to cause them to open, and mechanism. for moving first the end jaw and then the side jaws into upper-gripping positions by movement of said member in one direction prior to any reverse movement of the member,

said mechanism comprising means for thus operating the end jaw by said member and for then automatically releasing the member from that jaw to permit its further movement to operate the side jaws.

' 15. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe-end portion of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising an end jaw and side jaws movable to grip the upper, a jaw-closing member movable in one direction to cause the several jaws to grip the upper and reversely movable thereafter to cause them to open, and mechanism for moving first the end jaw and then the side jaws into upper-gripping positions by movement of said member in one direction prior to any reverse movement of the member, said mechanism comprising parts connected together for thus operating the end jaw by said member but automatically disconnectible when the end jaw arrives in its upper-gripping position to permit 1 further movement of said member to operate the side jaws; V

16. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe-end portion of an upper on a lastand for pulling the upper, said device comprising an end jaw and side jaws movable to grip the upper, a jaw-closing member movable in one direction to cause the several jaws to grip the upper and reverselymovable thereafter to cause them to open, mechanism for moving first the end jaw and then the side jaws into upper-gripping positions by movement of said member in one direction prior to any reverse movement of the member, said mechanism comprising means for thus operating the end jaw by said member and for then automatically releasing the member from that jaw to permit its further movement to operate the side jaws, and means for locking the end jaw against reverse movement when said member is released therefrom. i

17. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe-end portion of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising an end jaw and side jaws movable to grip the upper, a jaw-closing member movable in one direction to cause the several jaws to grip the upper and reversely movable thereafter to cause them to open, mechanism for moving first the end jaw and then the side jaws into upper-gripping positions by movement of said member in one direction prior to any reverse movement of the member, said mechanism comprising means for thus operating the end jaw by said member and for then automatically releasing the member from that jaw to permit its further movement to operate the side jaws, means for locking said end jaw against reverse movement when said member is thus released therefrom, and means for locking said member against reverse movement after the side jaws have been moved into upper-gripping positions to maintain them in those positions.

18. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe-end portion of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising an end jaw and side jaws movable to grip the upper, members movable to close the side jaws on the upper, other members movable to close the end jaw on the upper, and connecting means for operating said other members by said first-named members until the end jaw has been closed on the upper and for then disconnecting said other members from the first-named members to permit continued movements of the latter thereafter to close the side jaws on the upper.

19. Ina machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe-end portion 'of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising an end jaw and side jaws movable to grip the upper, members movable to close the side jaws on the upper, other members movable to close the end jaw on the upper, and means for operating said other members by the first-named members to close the end jaw on the upper prior to the closing of the side jaws and for then automatically locking the end jaw against reverse movement and for releasing said first-named members from the other members to permit the side jaws to be closed on the upper by further movements of the first-named members.

20. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe-end portion of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising an end jaw and side jaws movable to grip the upper, members movable to close the side jaws on the upper, other members movable-to close the end jaw on the upper, ball connections between said first-named members and the-othermembers for closing the end jaw on the upper by the movements of said first-named members prior to the closing of the side jaws and for then releasing the first-named members from the other members to permit the side jaws to be closed on the upper by further movements of the first-named members, and means arranged tocooperate with said ball connections to lock the end jaw against revers'e' movement from upper-gripping position.

21. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe-end portion of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising an end jaw and side jaws movable to grip the upper, a I'OCliShdflJ, arms fast on said rockshaft for moving the side jaws int-o upper-gripping positions, other arms movable about the axis of said rockshaft for moving the end jaw into upper-gripping position, and connections for operating said other arms by said first-named arms until said end jaw has arrived inupper-gripping position and for then releasing said first-named arms from the other arms to permit the side jaws to be moved thereafter into upper-gripping positions by further movements of the first-named arms.

22. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a device for gripping the margin of the toe-end portion of an upper on a last and for pulling the upper, said device comprising an end jaw and side jaws movable to grip the upper, a rockshaft, arms fast on said rockshaft for moving the side jaws into upper-gripping positions, other arms movable about the axis of said rockshaft for moving the end jaw into upper-gripping position, balls connecting said first-named arms to the other arms for moving the end jaw into upper-gripping position by movements of said first-named arms, said balls being displaceable to release the firstnamed arms from the other arms when the end jaw has arrived in upper-gripping position and thus to permit the side jaws to be moved into upper-gripping positions by further movements of said first-named arms, and means providedv with recesses to receive said balls when they are thus displaced and to cooperate with the balls to prevent reverse movements of said other arms.

23. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts,

the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper on a last inwardly over an insole on the last, and means for moving the last heightwise relatively to the wipers before they wipe the margin of the upper inwardly, of a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of the upper and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last in response to the movement of the last, said device comprising a pair of upper-gripping jaws arranged to grip the margin of the upper between them around the end and along portions at least of the sides of the toe and additional jaws arranged. to grip the upper against one of said pair of jaws at the sides only of the toe, a jaw-closing member, and mechanism for first moving one of said pair of jaws into upper-gripping position by said member and for thereafter moving said additional jaws into upper-gripping positions by further movement of said member in the same direction.

24. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper on a last inwardly over an insole on the last, and means for moving the last heightwise relatively to the wipers before they wipe the margin of the upper inwardly, of a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of the upper and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last in response to the movement of the last, said device comprising a pair of upper-gripping jaws arranged to grip the margin of the upper between them around the end and along portions at least of the sides or" the toe and additional jaws arranged to grip the upper against one of said pair of jaws at the sides only of the toe, said additional jaws having arms extending therefrom, a jaw-closing member, and mechanism for first moving one of said pair of jaws into upper-gripping position by said member and for thereafter moving the additional jaws into upper-gripping positions by engagement with said arms.

25. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper on a last inwardly over an insole on the last, and means for moving the last heightwise relatively to the wipers before they wipe the margin of the upper inwardly, of a device for gripping the margin of the toe end of the upper and for pulling the upper heightwise of the last in response to the movement of the last, said device comprising a pair of upper-gripping jaws arranged to grip the margin ofthe upper between them around the end and along portions at least of the sides of the toe and additional jaws arranged to grip the upper against one of said pair of jaws at the sides only of the toe, said additional jaws having arms extending therefrom, a rockshaft, members carried by said rockshaft and movable intoengagement with said arms for moving the additional jaws into upper-gripping positions, and means arranged also to be operated by said rockshaft to move one of said pair of jaws into uppergripping position before the upper is gripped by the additional jaws.

LLOYD G. MILLER. THEODORE P. COURCHENE. 

